1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a support bracket for a transport wagon used to transport large objects, such as combine headers and other farm equipment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Transport wagons for transporting large farm equipment, such as a cutting header (grain platform, draper, or corn platform) of a combine harvesting machine, are known. FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional transport wagon.
A cutting header is the front mechanism of a combine harvesting machine that cuts the crop and feeds it to the harvesting machine for threshing. The cutting header is wider than the body of the harvesting machine and thus, it is difficult and unsafe to transport the entire harvesting machine. Due to its large size, the cutting header is removed from the combine harvesting machine and transported sideways on a transport wagon for safe road travel.
Generally support brackets are mounted on the frame of the transport wagon as a the mating structure between the transport wagon and the header, and support a portion of one end of the header.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,333,904; 5,785,472; and 6,272,824 each disclose known support brackets for transport wagons, which are secured to the frame with a variation of a bolt. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,904 discloses a clamp that includes a nut and bolt that pulls two plates, one on each side of the frame, together, thereby clamping the support bracket to the frame. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,785,472 and 6,272,824 disclose a bolt and a cam handle to clamp the support bracket to the frame in a similar manner. However, these designs are disadvantageous because bolt threads can get damaged and separate tools are required to remove and replace the bolt in order to adjust the support bracket height or re-position it along the frame. Another disadvantage is that the process of removing a threaded member (e.g. a bolt) and components is slow and time-consuming.
Other support brackets utilize various configurations to support different types of headers, e.g., headers with lower edges having different geometric configurations, corn headers, or grain platforms. For instance, the bracket disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,333,904 and 5,785,472 require additional support member(s), and the bracket of U.S. Pat. No. 6,272,824 requires additional rest pad(s). These designs are disadvantageous because these secondary structures add extra, burdensome weight to the support bracket, making adjustments along the frame more difficult. A further disadvantage is that the secondary structures must be separately stored when not in use and thus are easily lost or misplaced.
Thus, there is a need for new and improved support brackets that do not suffer from the limitations of the prior art.